4
OPINION
Page 4
Tuesday, March 22, 1988
The Michigan Daily
Gov't agencies
harass activists
By Mark Friedman
"Under the Reagan Administration there
has been a resurgence of government
intelligence gathering and abuses of
power. He has made fashionable the red-
baiting of the McCarthy period."
With these words, Congressmember
George Crockett spoke to nearly 200
active supporters of democratic rights at
the UAW Local 600 Hall on January 30,
1988.
The rally was called by the American
Civil Liberties Union, the National
Lawyers Guild, and the Political Rights
Defense Fund to defend the Bill of Rights
on a local and national scale and protest
the FBI's and other spy agencies'
harassment of political and union activists
in Detroit and nationally.
The timing of the rally coincided with
the revelations of FBI's illegal
surveillance of the Committee in
Solidarity with the People of El Salvador
and the hundreds of unions and
organizations that worked with it around
the country.
Bob King, president of the UAW Local
Mark Friedman is the Michigan Co-
ordinator of the Political Rights Defense
Fund and is a member of the International
Union of Machinists Local 141.
600 opened the rally which was chaired by
Dick Soble of the National Lawyers
Guild. The Guild is involved in a lawsuit
against the spying by the Detroit police
"Red Squad" of thousands of labor, civil
rights, women's, and political activists.
The rally speakers were themselves
victims of FBI and other governmental
spying and harassment. They denounced
the historic pattern of illegal wiretapping,
mail covers, informers, and "black bag"
jobs, that were begun under the Franklin
Delano Roosevelt Administration and
carried out by every administration,
Democrat and Republican, since then. J.
Edgar Hoover was a mastermind in illegal
activity, union busting techniques, and
infiltrating political organizations. Recent
revelations have shown that Hoover was
out to get Walter Reuther, a founder and
early leader of the United Auto Workers
union.
The Irish movement in this country has
been under attack through a mutual
agreement with the British government.
This was addressed by Seamus Metress,
President of the Clan Na Gael in Toledo:
"Trying to scare activists in this country
is part of the same colonial and racist
approach which is being carried out by
imperialism in South Africa, Gaza,
Central America, and Northern Ireland ...
We must stand together - we are in the
same struggle."
A central focus of the rally was to win
new support for the Political Rights
Defense Fund (PRDF) which is
coordinating efforts to win a lawsuit filed
by the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) and
the Young Socialists Alliance (YSA)
against the FBI, CIA, Immigration and
Naturalization Service (INS) and a dozen
other government spy agencies. The suit
is being argued by noted Constitutional
attorney Leonard Boudin and has been
victorious so far. For the first time ever in
U.S. history, we succeeded in getting a
Federal Court to grant an injunction
against the FBI spying on the socialists.
John Studer, the National Director of
the PRDF explained at the rally that the
government, spearheaded by Attorney
General Edwin Meese, is trying to justify
the use of 1300 informers, tens of
thousands of hours of wiretaps, hundreds
of illegal break-ins, the compilation of
nearly ten million pages of illegally
obtained documents, and millions of
dollars of taxpayers' money against the
SWP and the YSA. This is despite the fact
that not one illegal act has been uncovered
in the 50 years of this domestic spying
operation. "The SWP and the YSA," said
Judge Thomas Griesa in ruling in favor of
the socialists and against the FBI, "are a
legitimate political organizations whose
Fourth Amendment rights have been
violated." He said their activities in the
unions, in women's, civil rights, anti-
nuclear, anti-war and other organizations
are perfectly legitimate and "it is the
court's conclusion that this (FBI informer
activity) was wholly incompatible with
the SWP's First Amendment rights to
freely assemble and speak upon political
matters."
"The new revelations of FBI spying on
CISPES," pointed out Studer, "continue
to point to the government's challenge not
only to democratic rights, but voting
rights, affirmative action rights, abortion
rights, the Miranda decision and the Bill of
Rights generally. These revelations, like
those of "contragate" before them have
rocked the government. They have fueled
opposition to the U.S. contra war against
Nicaragua and they create a favorable
political situation to push back the
government's drive against political rights
at home. The battle over the government's
desire to use the secret files on the SWP
and the YSA is the cutting edge of a
broader confrontation. The federal cop
agencies, the police arm of the executive
branch, are telling Judge Griesa that they
do not accept the rights of any judge to
uphold the Constitutional rights of the
people, to tell them what they can and
cannot do to protect "national security."
They claim to be above the law at home
and abroad. The stakes are high in this
confrontation. On one side you have the
cop agencies and Meese, and on the other
side you have those who support
democratic rights and have an interest in
political freedom. This includes first and
foremost the labor movement and union
activists. It includes Black, Chicano, and
Puerto Rican rights activists. It includes
all opponents of U.S. intervention in
Central America and U.S. ties with the
apartheid regime in South Africa.
Howard Simon, Executive Director of
the ACLU closed the rally with an appeal
for everyone to remain vigilant. "The
efforts of the FBI and government
agencies to intimidate political activists
was not a quirk of some administration in
Washington, but has become a permanent
dynamic of the U.S. government." Adding
that the government is trying to prevent
another "anti Vietnam war movement but
this time around Nicaragua and Central
America,... we must stay in the streets
to defend our rights, the Constitution and
the Bill of Rights."
The rally was successful in uniting and
galvanizing a wide range of groups and
unions and urged them to keep on
struggling. This will not be the last of
rallies that will be needed, as several
speakers pointed out. We shall come back
again and again - whatever it takes to
uphold our hard-fought-for rights. Persons
who wish to be kept informed should call
366-2334.
te n m s et tTnichigan
Edited and managed by situdents at The University of Michigan
LETTERS:
Group supports Arab- American Week
4
Vol. XCVIII, No. 115
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board. All other
cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion
of the Daily.
Protect the ozone layer
EARTH'S PROTECTIVE ozone layer
is disappearing much more rapidly than
first estimated, reported a government
panel of over 100 scientists which con-
vened last week. Without significant
curbs on industrial gases which seem
to destroy this atmospheric constituent,
grave health and environmental effects
will plague this planet's 21st century
inhabitants.
Although ozone is a noxious pol-
lutant when in the lower atmosphere, it
serves a beneficial purpose in the upper
layers as it filters dangerous ultraviolet
radiation out of sunlight. A one percent
drop in the ozone layer may result in
tens of thousands of more skin cancers
per year - a three to six percent in-
crease in the occurrence rate of such
cancers.
If more ultraviolet radiation reaches
phytoplankton, a microscopic con-
sumer of carbon dioxide, the well-
documented "greenhouse" effect of
atmospheric warming could rapidly es-
calate. These microorganisms, highly
sensitive to ultraviolet rays, process the
carbon dioxide which, if not con-
sumed, would trap warm air against the
earth's surface.
To combat the deleterious effects of
ozone depletion, 31 nations in 1987
drafted a treaty to reduce production of
the ozone's foremost enemy, chlo-
rofluorocarbons (CFCs).
CFCs are unfortunately very useful
gases, and thus see wide application in
rigid foam containers and refrigeration
devices. Replacing CFCs with other
compounds will be a costly endeavor.
The costs of CFC substitution,
however, are far outweighed by the
costs of ozone destruction - costs of
cer treatment, food shortages, and at-
mospheric warming.
As might be expected, there is
widespread opposition to the plan to
phase out CFCs. Reminiscent of its
position on acid rain, the Reagan Ad-
ministration decries a speedier CFC
phaseout for fear of economic disrup-
tions. Of the 31 nations involved in the
treaty, only the U.S. and Mexico have
voted for ratification.
Last week's frightening re-
assessment of the rate of ozone de-
pletion demands swift action, and the
U.S., as a producer and consumer of
more than 25 percent of total CFC
output, must lead the way with a
unilateral phaseout of the chemicals.
Consumers can begin by requesting
biodegradable paper food containers
rather than the rigid styrofoam
packaging which now insulates so
much fast food. This packaging ac-
counts for over 60 percent of one of the
Although the Environmental Pro-
tection Agency puts the cost of CFC
phaseout by 2075 at $27 billion, this is
far below the $6.5 trillion that in-
creased skin cancer, smaller fish har-
vests, crop damage, and rising sea lev-
els would cost during the same time
period. The option, as always, is "pay
me now, or pay me later."
To the Daily:
As Progressive Zionists we
believe that all peoples have
the right to express their na-
tional identity. This expres-
sion contributes to a people's
sense of identity, unity, and
eventually leads to their self-
determination.
We base our commitment to
Israel as the home for the Jew-
ish people upon this belief.
Since our Zionism, following
the earliest thinkers, is con-
cerned with people and libera-
tion, not occupation and terri-
tories, we also believe that the
Palestinian people deserve their
right to self-determination as
well. The place for this to
happen is in the territories Is-
rael currently occupies: the
Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
One of the largest obstacles
to solving the conflict in the
CU,
unfair to
To the Daily:
As a "physically challenged"
student, I found the use of
quotes around that phrase in the
article "TAs study sensitivity
to racism, sexism" (Daily,
3/7/88) unnecessary and in-
sulting.
Does the Daily doubt that
handicapped people are a mi-
nority in the same sense that
people of color and gays are? If
so, perhaps some of the Daily
staff are "mentally challenged."
Discrimination against the
physically challenged is still
rampant in housing, jobs, and
Vote Yes on
To the Daily:
The Michigan Collegiate
Coalition is one of those or-
ganizations that works so qui-
etly and effectively, people
don't usually hear about it.
MCC is the Michigan state
student association. MCC rep-
resents the 200,000 students
from Michigan's 15 state uni-
versities on the state and federal
level. MCC has done signifi-
cant work, but also has big
plans.
State student lobby organi-
zations from around the nation
have had tremendous success.
For instance, United Council,
Wisconsin's student associa-
tion, saved its 200,000 con-
Middle East peacefully lies in
the misconception each side
has about the other: Jews think
of Arabs as terrorists; Arabs
think of Jews as occupiers.
Both within Israel and around
the world, these views must be
changed.
Governor Blanchard has de-
clared the week of March 21-25
to be Arab-American Aware-
ness Week. Look for posters
around campus and in the List
for more information regarding
this week's events. This
week's events afford the Uni-
versity of Michigan commu-
nity the opportunity to increase
our knowledge of the Arab-
American community as well
as to increase understanding
between the Arab and Jewish
communities. In the future,
we hope that events sponsored
by either the Arab or Jewish
handicapped
education. Only a handful of U
of M students are wheel-chair
users. Why? Because prospec-
tive students handicapped stu-
dents learn quickly how bad the
situation here is, and most
wisely stay away.
I applaud the Graduate Em-
ployees Organization for in-
cluding the topic of disability
in their workshop, and for us-
ing nondemeaning terminology
to discuss the issue. Maybe the
Daily staff could use some
sensitivity training of their
own.
-Blame Waterman
March 7
Question 5
Berkeley, saving students al-
most $ 50,000.
MCC's most successful ef-
forts have been to unite stu-
dents across the state on issues
of racism, financial aid, in-
structional quality and faculty
salaries. MCC can save tuition
costs by pushing for larger
state appropriations to higher
education. Every one percent
saved from a proposed tuition
increase, saves the students of
the University of Michigan
about 2 million dollars.
The way to ensure a strong,
pro-student voice in Michi-
gan's capitol, Lansing, is to
support the Michigan Colle-
giate Coalition by voting
communities will be attended
by members - of b o t h
communities, and that the two
communities jointly sponsor
events.
It is our firm belief that only
through interaction of the two
cultures can we bring about a
peaceful and jus. rapproche-
ment.
-Pro
To the Daily:
I am writing in response to
the March 16th letter of Ms.
Rina Edelstein, an exchange
student at the Hebrew
University in Jerusalem. She
unjustly compares h e r
experience with that of 1.5
million Palestinians living
under military rule in their own
homeland.
Since the popular Palestinian
uprising (Intifada) began on
December 9, 1987, the death
toll has reached 128, the
number of miscarriages is 55,
the number of wounded has
exceeded 2000, the number of
people with broken bones is
3500, and many thousands
have been detained under
inhumane conditions; not to
mention the incidents of
Palestinians being buried alive
by Israeli soldiers. Beatings,
shootings, house arrests, house
demolitions, curfews, indefinite
detentions, and deportations
have become a part of everyday
life for Palestinians in the
occupied territories.
Ms. Edelstein attempts to
alienate the Palestinians in the
West Bank and Gaza from
those in "Israel proper." The
fact of the matter is that the
Palestinians in "Israel proper"
have shown their solidarity
with their brethren in the
Lefties,
To the Daily:
This is a serious dilemma. I
have been grumpy about this
for years, and it is time for me
to come out of the closet and
write. There is another insidi-
ous form of discrimination, not
only on this campus, but also
in schools throughout this na-
tion. This University discrimi-
nates against left handers. I am
sick and tired of going into
lecture halls and classrooms
where 95 percent of the chairs
are designed for right handers.
occupied territories by striking
and rioting against the Israeli
government's polieies, as have
many moderate Israelis.
She also attempts to
disassociate South African
Apartheid and the Israeli Iron
Fist. Since Apartheid exists
throughout all of South Africa,
whereas military rule exists
only in parts of Israel, does
that mean that they are only
partially identical in their
oppression? Just recently
Israel followed in South
Africa's footsteps and prevented
the international free press
from covering it's internal
unrest (Intifada). Yesterday, on
March 16th, the Israelis cut off
telephone lines between the
West Bank and Gaza and all
foreign countries, cut off fuel
supplies and banned all travel;
thus shutting the Palestinians
off from the rest of the world.
America and the American
people usually stand for human
rights and civil liberty; yet the
only evidence of American
involvement in the recent civil
strife of the Palestinians are the
tear gas canisters and gun
casings cluttering the streets of
the West Bank and Gaza, all of
which are marked "MADE IN
THE U.S.A."
-Dima Zalatimo
AAUG
unite!
{
igressive Zionist
Caucus
Elliot Appel
Peter Ephross
Karen Freeman
Debbie Goelman
Becky Pearlman
March 20
isolated
4
I
Territories wrongly
I
4
Phillips for MSA President
THE MICHIGAN STUDENT Assembly
elections take place today and tomor-
row. Though both Students First
Presidential candidate Michael Phillips
and Common Sense vice-presidential
candidate Ricky Nemeroff have diverse
and commendable qualities, the Daily
endorses Phillips for MSA President.
Nemeroff's experience includes
serving on the Interfraternity Council
and the Greek Week Steering Commit-
tee. However, he does not possess the
same knowledge of campus issues
such as the code and racism that
Phillips has gained by serving as MSA
Further, when Interim University
President Robben Fleming introduced
his first proposal for a discriminatory
acts policy, Phillips drafted an alterna-
tive to Fleming's code and organized a
forum to discuss both proposals.
However, Phillips is not as success-
ful when dealing with students who
disagree with him. During a meeting
last month in which several students
criticized MSA during constituents time
for not reflecting the views of the stu-
dents, Phillips left the room. To repre-
sent MSA effectively, Phillips must
become more receptive to divergent
opinions.
aren't
handers.
any chairs for left
It is extremely uncomfort-
able writing in a right handed
world. My left arm never gets
any support from the chairs
like the right handers do. After
awhile I say to hell with the
test and take the "C" just to
rest my arm. Even as I write
this, my arm istired because
I'm using a right hander's
chair.
Lefties, unite! Let's rouse
the left handed maest n fight